Though traditionally viewed as an English discipline, dressage now has a Western version that’s practiced and performed in Western tack and attire.

The Association: The mission of the Western Dressage Association of America is to build an equine community that combines Western riding traditions with classical dressage. WDAA honors the horse, values and promotes the partnership between horse and rider, and celebrates the legacy of the American West.

The brainchild of Western trainers Eitan Beth-Halachmy and Jack Brainard, WDAA was founded in July 2010 through the vision of that pair as well as that of other well-known horsemen and horsewomen. WDAA currently has 600 members across the nation.

“It doesn’t sound like a lot, but just a year ago we had only 50 members,” says WDAA president Ellen DiBella. “We currently have seven state alliance partners, and there are 18 more in the forming process now.”

Riders: “It’s for everybody, really,” says DiBella. “We see new members who never want to compete, but want to learn Western dressage so that when they go trail riding, they have a more reliable horse. Or they compete in a different discipline, and know that dressage will make their horses more responsive and athletic for, say, barrel racing. Dressage works to improve anything else you do with your horse.”

The new discipline also gives Western riders who’ve been interested in the traditional sport of dressage—where horse and rider are judged individually and work their way gradually through well-defined levels—a way to try it out without changing gear.

“More than half the people in this country ride in a Western saddle,” DiBella observes. “Western dressage gives them a way to participate as they are.”

Horses: Any breed that can walk, trot, and canter is eligible to participate in the sport. According to the WDAA, this broad acceptance gives all horse owners “an incentive to enable their horses to benefit from the teaching of good training techniques.”

“Any horse will benefit from Western dressage because the focus is on building basic skills,” notes DiBella.

Tests: Currently there are six published tests—two that involve work at the walk/trot only, and four that include the walk, trot, and canter. Those tests were originally devised by the United States Equestrian Federation for Morgan horses. (The American Morgan Horse Association has sanctioned Western dressage for its members for the past several years.)

In 2013, WDAA will debut an entirely new set of rules and tests. The new tests will measure a horse and rider’s level of accomplishment based on the different levels of achievement; changes will enable gaited breeds to be accommodated as well.

Benefits: Riders learn correct horsemanship skills and horses become more responsive and athletic. “Because Western dressage is modeled after classical dressage, riders learn fundamentals that follow a perfect natural progression for the training of their horses,” says trainer Lynn Palm, four-time AQHA Superhorse rider and a longtime devotee of dressage. “The ultimate goal is to build a harmonious partnership between horse and rider, resulting in a willing, balanced horse that’s happy in his performance.”

Good to Try If: You like classes that involve patterns or challenges, such as Western horsemanship, Western riding, reining, or trail. “Also, if you’re seeking a really strong partnership with your horse—give it a try,” says DiBella.

Coaching Opportunities: WDAA is now involved with horseshow.com. “We use it as a way to coach riders,” DiBella explains. “Participants can upload videos to the site and have them critiqued by Western dressage coaches. It’s also a continuing education resource for coaches and riders.”

Learn More: info@westerndressageassociation.org; westerndressageassociation.org.

“All I need Is one good break, and I could be in as much demand as any other good horseman out there.”

No one knows how many talented riders have ever said that to themselves, but a pair of horse-event innovators are determined to open opportunity’s door. Using the tagline of “We’ll make you famous,” Tootie Bland and Patti Colbert—the producers behind the über-successful road to the Horse and extreme Mustang Makeover events, respectively—have brought forth a new competition with a decidedly grassroots twist.

They call it Project Cowboy, and only the unknown need apply. The objective, they say, is to find “The next great American Horseman,” who’ll be awarded the chance to star in a primetime TV series to appear this fall on RFD-TV.

Debuting last year with a single session in Fort Worth, the event expands in 2012 with three contests held in conjunction with regional horse expos. The first, held in February during the Pomona Horse expo in California and attended by H&R, was open to men. The second, open to women, is set for the Western States Horse Expo, June 7 to 9 in Sacramento, California. A battle of the sexes version, featuring men and women on the same playing field, with $10,000 in prize money at stake, will take place August 16 to 18 at the Taking the reins expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Unlike Road to the Horse, where contestants prove their skills with unstarted colts, the Project Cowboy entrants compete on their own horses, which can be of any breed. And they aren’t evaluated on horsemanship skills alone, but also on their ability to think on their feet, be charismatic on camera, and entertain a crowd.

Considering buying a smooth-gaited horse for smooth, comfortable trail-riding adventures? Before you buy, use these tips to get started.

Fit your physique. Choose a horse that fits your physique. If you’re tall, you might prefer a 15-plus-hand horse with a big barrel, such as the Rocky Mountain Horse. If you’re on the short side, consider the smaller Paso Fino or Icelandic Horse. Be sure that you can mount unaided on the trail and that the horse can carry the weight of you, your tack, and your gear for long periods of time.

Consider your physical condition. If you suffer from joint and/or back pain, look for a smooth ride that doesn’t exacerbate your condition. After many years in the saddle, some trail riders benefit from switching to smooth-gaited horses for a long, comfortable ride.

“Baby boomers want to enjoy, laugh, and ride all day, and dance all night,” says Certified Horsemanship Association instructor Julie Dillon. “The gaited breeds can offer that.”

Consider trail pace. If you’re the only one you know who’ll be owning a smooth-gaited horse, you may worry whether your friends on stock-type horses will be able to “keep up.” It’s true that such gaits as the running walk and racking step are swift and energetic. However, your trail partners can develop their horses’ walk, trot, and lope/canter into strong, forward-moving gaits.

Adjust your balance. The sensation of riding a smooth-gaited horse may feel strange or too fast at first, says trainer Russell Terry. “You might be intimidated and feel like you don’t have as much control,” he notes. Dillon explains that you need to internalize body memory of the new gaits. A body memory is the knowledge and experience that allows you to recognize a gait. Learn what the proper footfall and cadence feel like.

Find a certified riding instructor, and sharpen your equitation skills. “Keep a straight line between your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel,” horse trainer Russell Terry advises. Stay relaxed, try not to interfere with your horse’s stride, and let him move into his best gaits.

Try different gaits. Experiment to see which gait feels best to you. Dillon compares the diagonal movement of the Missouri Fox Trotter to a rumba and the lateral gait of the Tennessee Walking Horse to waltz. If you’re looking for an energetic-yet-collected, gait, the pistons-and-engine step of the Racking Horse may be for you. Or, perhaps your idea of an enjoyable trail ride includes floating along on the back of an Icelandic Horse.

Photo by Andrea Barber

Evaluate movement. Ask the owner to ride your potential horse, so you can evaluate his movement from the ground. (Bring along someone experienced with your new breed.) Observe the gaits the owner is able to achieve and the horse’s balance at each gait.

Hop aboard. Hop on, and evaluate whether the horse’s gaits are right for you. Ride in the arena first. Ask the owner for help in getting a desired gait, if needed. Compare the horse’s movement what you’ve learned in your lessons.

Ride on trail. Ride your potential horse on the trail to see if he’s able to stretch out his stride. Be picky — if covering ground is important to you, look for an energetic, athletic horse with a “go forward” inclination.

Fit a saddle. After you’ve bought your new horse, evaluate saddle fit. Ask a person experienced with your horse’s breed to help you decide whether a new saddle is necessary. You may also want to see if the horse’s current saddle is available to purchase. To obtain an optimal gait, your horse’s scapula and haunches must be able to stretch out comfortably. Find a saddle that fits well, doesn’t chafe his back, and allows him to move freely.

Are you looking for an exciting and fun Western sport for the whole family? Take a look at competitive mounted shooting, and watch as world champ Kenda Lenseigne sets a world record in the video below.

To see more runs, search "Oregon Horse Center mountain trail competition" at YouTube.com.

In the June 2012 "Have You Tried" section, we introduced you to the sport of Competitive Trail Rides through the North American Trail Ride Conference.

To find out what you can expect on a competitive trail ride, check out the video below!

The normal Preliminary cross-country course has ­approximately 25 jumping efforts. At the same time, your horse will take well over 600 strides at the gallop while completing a two-mile Prelim course. Since you will spend far more time galloping than you will jumping, it follows that you need to study the galloping position. If your position is weak or inefficient, it will have a substantial ­effect on your horse’s performance. Fortunately, there is now scientific research to help you determine the correct galloping position.

In the August 2009 issue of Science, researchers from the Structure and Motion Laboratory at England’s Royal ­Veterinary College, in partnership with the British Racing School at Newmarket, published a study on the effects of ­human posture on racehorse performance (“Modern Riding Style ­Improves Horse Racing Times” by Dr. Thilo Pfau, PhD, and others, Science 325, 289). The study proved what horsemen have ­believed for over a century—that the ­position ­modern jockeys use is the most efficient galloping position.

American jockey Willie Simms first used this coiled, crouching position in England in 1895, but it was his fellow American James F. “Tod” Sloan who ­popularized the new position. Sloan’s ­success rate during this period (in 1898 he won an astounding 46 percent of his races) forced the rest of that era’s jockeys to abandon their traditional long stirrups and upright position. This new position led to the greatest incremental change in racehorse times ever recorded: In the decade between 1895 and 1905, average racehorse times improved between 5 and 7 percent. (Since then, times have only ­improved 1 percent.)

A Revolution in Riding
The 1895–1905 decade must have been an exciting time to be a horseman, considering that Federico Caprilli was inventing the “forward seat” during the same period. Caprilli had as transformative an effect on jumping as Simms and Sloan had on galloping. The obvious connection between the two revolutionary positions is that both place the weight of the rider over the withers in a poised, elastic connection with the horse.

The RVC study analyzed the workload on galloping horses, first using sandbags and riders seated upright on the horses and then using jockeys crouched over the withers in their typical galloping positions. The study concluded that when sandbags or upright riders were in the saddles, the metabolic and mechanical costs to the horses were proportionate to the loads carried on their backs. However, when jockeys crouched over the withers, the metabolic and mechanical loads were reduced. In effect, when riders use a poised position, horses have only to carry the riders’ weight, but they are not burdened by having to accelerate the riders’ weight during each stride. (As an aside, this study probably answers the long-running argument among horsemen about “live weight versus dead weight.” It looks to me as if the live-weight supporters win.)

One important finding of the study is that each time horses take a galloping stride, there is a vertical displacement of their withers as well as the horizontal reach of their legs. This means that if riders stand straight-legged, each stride horses take must push the weight of the riders up, as well as carry the riders’ weight forward. In effect, a straight-legged rider is driving his weight straight down into his horse’s withers, while a ­rider who gallops with a bent knee “floats” over his horse.

A coauthor of the study, Alan ­Wilson, noted that by floating above their horses, jockeys save energy that would otherwise be used to push the weight of the ­riders up during each stride. Wilson says that efficient jockeys “don’t follow the ­movement of the horse, but stay ­relatively stationary.” Wilson continues, “If he pushes at the right time, it looks as if they (sic) can drive a horse much like a child propels a swing.” He goes on to note that ­because the rider is using his legs as pistons or shock absorbers, “This is hard work.” Jockeys’ heart rates recorded during races have reached 190 beats per minute.

The RVC study referenced an interesting analogous human study done by Lawrence Rome of the University of Pennsylvania. Rome experimented with backpack design and established that suspending a backpack on bungee cords within a frame caused the weight of the backpack to move less in relation to the carrying human’s movement, with a corresponding lessening of the workload.

In this month's issue, we introduced you to a horse that "We'd Love to Own." Her name is Lindsay's Faith, and she was the winner of the inaugural America's Favorite Trail Horse. Read more Q&A with owner and trainer Mary Miller-Jordan, and watch the pair in action!

Q: Where did Lindsay come from in the wild?

A: She was gathered from the White Mountain, Wyoming, herd management area. We picked her up in May 2010. She went to the holding facility in Colorado, and then was shipped to the holding facility in Mississippi where my husband and I traveled to pick her up. They herded her into out trailer, and we brought her home to North Carolina, and opened the trailer up to our round pen, and there we were! It was the first time I'd ever done anything like that, but I'm hooked. I've gentled three mustangs now.

I've looked up pictures of the herd in that HMA, and it's really interesting. Their color and conformation is so similar to hers. The type of roans that are there are very similar to what she looks like.

Q: What is it like to participate in an Extreme Supreme Mustang Makeover event?

A: The whole gentling process is fabulous. I had no clue what I was getting into with Lindsay when I got her. I really assumed I was getting a blank slate. In a way you are, because you're getting a horse that hasn't had any human interaction. What was interesting to me was how much knowledge they're just jam-packed with--especially the older ones. Lindsay was 6 when I got her. The other two I've gentled, one was 5 and the other was 4. I can really tell a difference. The younger ones lend themselves to be a little more like a colt would be. The older ones--Lindsay especially--there's just so much knowledge they have to bring to the table. There's nothing like it, in my opinion.

Q: What do you think makes Lindsay special?

A: Really the knowledge that she brought. I think her being 6 years old and still wild and having ran out in the wild--even when she was in the holding facilities, she was still interacting with a herd--that's what made her unique and special for me. I've always lived and breathed horse. Having this passion for horses is nothing new, and I was pretty excited about this mustang experience. I never could've fathomed how deep this connection would go.

She has so much to offer, and she's going to give 100 percent, 100 percent of the time. We never give our animals really all that we could--no matter how hard we try. I don't even know if human nature can pull out 100 percent like a horse can give us. She encourages me--and always has--to up that percentage as much as I can. The more I listen to her and stay in tune with the things she's trying to tell me, the better off I would be. She was willing to do anything I asked her to do, if I could just ask the question in a way that she understood, she would do it, hand's down. I feel like I learned more from her than I did the others.

Q: Can you talk about an example of the knowledge Lindsay brought to your partnership?

A: She watches everything. Horses communicate more through body language and herd behavior. The thing that was interesting with her is the things she was notice. The first days I was working with her, I got so I could walk up to her and even touch her. But things like the way my finger or hand would lay on her neck would affect how she would tolerate my presence. At first, if I just let it rest there, she was OK with it. I could not pat or brush her against the hair coat with my hand. As my hand was approaching her skin--at a couple of inches away--she would just ball up. That moment is very scary for them. Once she would feel my hand, she actually got to where she would relax.

One thing that was a really telling moment for me, only within a week of having her. I went in, and I had a different color hat on; it was white. She wouldn't let me come anywhere near her. It took me a while to figure out what the problem was. She looked at me like I was a totally different animal. As time went on, she got so that she could recognize me, no matter what I was wearing. She was very aware. I think all horses have that ability, but they don't all learn to tap into it like wild horses do. Because she was so aware, I just had an infinite amount of things I could teach her.

The wild horses just have a much more detailed vocabulary in their mind than a domestic horses, unless that domestic horse has had a lot of interaction with other horses. I really think that's what sets her apart.

Q: What has been your most memorable moment with Lindsay?

A: When we were at the Makeover in Texas, it was the first Makeover I'd done, and I'd never done anything like it. But we still went out there, planning to be the best we could be and feeling pretty confident. She was doing well, and I had no reason not to be confident in her--she was just doing fabulous. She did awesome in all the preliminaries, especially the trail. She was even first under one of the judges. She just sailed through the preliminary stuff well. When I went into the freestyle, she still did really well, buy I was really nervous. The crowd was louder than I could have ever imagined; it felt like they were sitting on top of us. And she did really well. However, we were certainly feeding off of each others' anxiety.

The freestyle that we had practiced at home, we had to improvise, and it wasn't nearly what we had planned on it being. It was just a really emotional experience for me, and she really took care of me through that, even though I was really tense in that environment. Coming away from that, I feel like I need to allow myself to trust her in any situation, and trust that relationship that we've built.

When we went to Texas for the ACTHA America's Favorite Trail Horse, obviously we didn't have the crowds (which was nice!), but there were similar situations emotionally where I knew the cameras were on, and I knew I was under pressure. And I did a much better job allowing myself to trust her, like she's always trusted me. She was more relaxed, too. I think the whole process was just a tremendous learning experience for me. Lindsay already had all the stuff--she was gonna trust me. But me allowing myself to trust her to try and just meet her in the middle, is easier said than done. Under pressure, it's hard to tell yourself that this is still the same horse, same relationship you have with; nothing's changed. She's only going to know it's changed if I tell her with my anxiety. I did a much better job handling my emotions in the ACTHA event than I did at the Supreme Makeover. That's another example of how she's taught me so much, just to grow as a person.

Horse trainer Jake Nodar will be participating in one of the oldest horse sports as a contestant on History's Full Metal Jousting, which will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 10 p.m. Along with fifteen other competitors, Jake Nodar will don 80 pounds of steel armor, mount a jousting horse and pick up a 11-foot-long, solid fir lance to compete in full-contact jousting for a chance to win $100,000. The EquiSearch staff had a chance to ask Jake a few questions about his Full Metal Jousting experience.

EquiSearch: How did you get into horses?

Jake Nodar: I began my career at the age of 17. I started as a volunteer for Days End Farm Horse Rescue, and within a few weeks, they hired me as farm manager. From there I pursued the training aspect and headed out to Colorado with two horses to go through the John Lyons training program. After graduating, I started up my business and have been training full time ever since.

ES: How did you prepare for the show?

JN: I wasn’t really sure how to “prepare” for jousting. I guess you could go out in the street and let a Fiat hit you at 25 miles an hour. In addition to the horses I was working daily, I started hiking 7 miles a day 5 days a week as well as lifting at the gym. I’m built like a noodle, so I needed to increase my strength.

ES: Tell us about the horses used for the program. Were they already trained jousting horses? What breeds were they?

JN: All the horses were draft or draft crosses. All had several months of training for full contact jousting prior to the start of the show, some had a bit more. They were great horses that came from all over, and some of them were actually rescues, which given my background, I was really happy about.

ES: We couldn’t recognize the saddle used in the bio videos. What sort of specialized tack did you use?

JN: We used an Australian stock saddle. It allowed for a long leg and the pommel gave a little extra added protection to the “important parts” of the competitors.

ES: What kind of training did you undergo as part of the show?

JN: Prior to making the show, we had to go through a week-long boot camp to ensure we could hold up to the demands of the sport. We started with basic under saddle exercises and then the lance was added in, then the 85 pounds of armor. I’ve gone through some tough training programs, but I can safely say, this one takes the cake. Once on the show we did all sorts of training exercises from experiencing our first hit, to regaining balance after a hit, to proper lance control.

ES: How did you get used to holding the lance?

JN: Holding a lance completely changes your balance. We did exercises where we would cradle the lance and ride tight serpentine patterns, as well as “lance push ups.” Basically we would do repetitions of lowering the lance slowly, then bringing it back up over, and over, and over again to build the strength in the right arm.

ES: Can you tell us about the armor? How hard was it to get used to riding in armor?

JN: Riding in the armor was a huge challenge. I knew it was going to be heavy; I prepared myself for that. I didn’t think, however, about just how much my vision would be limited, and your helmet is basically locked in place, so looking side to side doesn’t really happen.

ES: What gives a jouster an advantage? Size? Riding skill? Accuracy?

JN: I think you need a combination of all of the above. Size definitely helps, but you can knock someone off their horse every pass, but if you aren’t hitting the grand guard (target), you won’t receive any points, so you need accuracy, and having a good seat can make all the difference between taking a hit and being catapulted off your mount.

ES: It looks like there’s quite a variety of horsemen participating in the show. How was it competing against such a diverse group of guys?

JN: It was a great mix of horsemen. About half of the group came from theatrical jousting backgrounds, and the other half was all types, everything from a world champ steer wrestler to a grand prix show jumper.

ES: How did your experience with horses help you throughout the competition?

JN: My past experience with horses helped greatly for jousting. I’m used to getting on new and different horses on a daily basis, so I’m very comfortable getting on new horses and figuring out how they ride. The partnership is so important between horse and jouster. If you have their trust, you can focus on everything else that you need to when galloping down the joust list.

ES: Be honest: How much does it hurt to get hit with the lance? To fall off in your armor?

JN: I’m not going to lie, the hits hurt… they hurt really bad. The hits can also vary, depending on the angle the lance hits you, where it hits you, speed, etc. As far as falling with armor, who said I fell? You’ll have to tune in to find that out.

ES: What was the biggest challenge for you when learning to joust?

JN: My biggest challenge was lance control. My arms are like noodles. Most of the guys' biceps seemed to be the size of my thighs, so I had to work very hard on that so I could be on target.

ES: What are some jousting essentials that people should know before watching the show?

JN: Jousting is amazing! It’s very easy to follow and is such a great spectator sport. It’s a beautiful combination of chaos and finesse. The rules are simple. There are up to eight passes. You must hit the grand guard for points: 1 point for a touch, 5 points for a broken lance, and 10 points for an unhorsing. Those are my favorite. It’s going to be a great show. Get ready to see something like you’ve never seen before!